Every Digital camera has a Menu designed to help you set the camera to enable you to get the best image results from the camera. The settings for focus, shutter speed, aperture and ISO are not the only settings on your camera, there are many other settings available. In this blog I will attempt to guide you on the main menu settings, to help you understand the operation of the camera to enable you to get superb images.

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Many photographers are not fully aware of all the different options available to help enhance their photography. Most digital camera menus are designed under main headings covering the main functions of the digital camera and I will summarize these main functions as follows. Remember that the detailed menu items will vary depending on the brand of camera and the particular camera model you are using.

All of the menus below are based on the camera I am most used to using and that is the Nikon D810 but most of the other professional and semiprofessional cameras will have similar functionality in their menu structure. Some of the more consumer oriented cameras may have

PLAYBACK DISPLAY MENU OPTIONS

Delete – Choice can be made to delete a selected image or all images in the selected folder.

Playback Folder – Selects the folder for playback. Images in the current folder or all folders can be selected for playback.

Copy Images – Images can be copied from one memory card to another within the camera by selecting the source card, selecting the source folder, selecting the images, selecting the destination folder and then copying the images.

Image Review – This setting chooses whether the images are automatically displayed on the monitor after shooting.

After Delete – This selects the situation after an image has been deleted, such as next image displayed, previous image displayed, Continue as before, this selection determines if scrolling to the right the next image is displayed or if scrolling to the left the previous image is displayed.

Rotate Tall – Portrait orientation images can be automatically rotated for display on the camera monitor.

Slide Show – Creates a slide show of all the images in the current playback folder. A choice can be made of still images, movies or both.

DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) Print Order – Can arranger for compatible printers to be used for image printing.

SHOOTING MENU – Shooting Menu options will include some or all of the following.

Shooting Menu Bank – These banks are used to store particular combinations of frequently used settings and can be named by the user. A selection of new camera settings can be stored in the banks, and these will be remembered even when the camera is turned off, to enable camera settings to be quickly restored by selecting the particular bank.

Picture Control – The image recorded picture control can be set to various option such as standard, neutral, vivid, monochrome, portrait or landscape.

Manage Picture Control – Special settings for Picture Control can be saved for future use.

Color Space – The range of colors which are available for reproduction can be selected as sRGB which may be selected for movies and general purpose photographs or Adobe RGB which is used for higher quality printing.

Active D-Lighting – Settings for controlling the lighting in the highlights and shadows to give a better contrast range.

Vignette Control – Settings to control the amount of vignetting in the image.

Auto Distortion Control – Settings to correct distortion due to various lens characteristics.

Long Exposure Noise Reduction – Reduces noise on long time exposures.

High ISO Noise Reduction – Reduces noise when camera is set to very high ISO settings.

ISO Sensitivity – Camera can be set for Auto ISO selection or various fixed settings for ISO.

Multiple Exposure – Selects the number of shots for multiple exposures.

AF-C Priority Selection – When AF-C (continuous servo for moving subjects) is selected then priority can be given to the shutter releasing on pressing the shutter release, pressing the shutter release and the camera being in focus or just the camera being in focus.

AF-S Priority Selection – When AF-S (stationary subjects) is selected then priority can be given to the shutter releasing on pressing the shutter release or when the camera is in focus.

Focus Tracking With Lock On – This option controls how the camera focus behaves by changing the camera focus when the subject distance from the camera changes by long or shorter distances. For instance following a flying bird will only change distance by short distances gradually.

AF Activation – AF activation on is selected when partial press of the shutter button or the AF-ON button is pressed. There is also an option for the AF-ON button only to be pressed to activate focus, this is to ensure that the camera does not refocus when the shutter button is pressed.

Focus Point Illumination – This selection is to show the focus point configuration selected by illumination of the focus points. There are three selections, manual focus mode, dynamic area AF display and group area AF illumination.

AF Point Illumination – Chooses whether the active focus point is illuminated in red.

Focus Point Wrap Around – The focus point can wrap around from one side of the viewfinder to the other side.

Number of Focus Points – Selects the number of focus point displayed in the viewfinder.

Store By Orientation – Shows the focus points remaining the same if the camera is re-orientated landscape to portrait mode or changing when the camera is re-orientated.

Easy Exposure Compensation – Exposure compensation (Auto) set by Command dial and is reset when the camera is restarted or the standby timer expires, similarly when not on auto but does not reset when camera is restarted. Exposure compensation can also be set by compensation button and command dial.

Matrix Metering – Matrix metering is turned on with face detection.

Center Weighted Area – The size of the center weighed area can be selected.

Fine Tune Optimal Exposure – Exposure can be fine tuned from the exposure value selected by the camera

Battery Order – Gives priority to the batteries available to the camera.

BRACKETING FLASH

Flash Sync Speed – FP (Focal Plane) high speed flash sync can be used with capable flash units to enable the photographer to shoot at a faster shutter speed than the cameras normal sync speed.

Flash Shutter Speed – This is set to determine the camera shutter speed for normal flash shooting.

Flash Control For Built In Flash – Controls the cameras built in flash unit settings.

Exposure Compensation For Flash – The camera adjusts the flash level to suit with this setting.

Modeling Flash – Modeling flash is used to check the effectiveness of the proposed flash lighting.

Auto Bracket Set – Used when flash light bracketing is required.

Auto Bracketing (Mode M) – This setting is used when AE & Flash or AE only is selected in the custom setting.

Bracketing Order – Used for fine tuning the bracketing with exposure, flash and white balance bracketing.

CONTROLS

Illumination Switch – The illumination setting on the ON-OFF switch determines which information panels are illuminated.

Multi Selector Center Button – Determines the role of the center button on the multi selector.

Multi Selector – Operates the restart standby timer.

Assign Fn Button – Assigns the desired function to the Fn button.

Assign Preview Button – Assigns the role for this button.

Assign AE-L/AF-L Button – Assigns the role for this button.

Shutter Speed & Aperture Lock – Locks the shutter speed and aperture at the current values.

Assign Bracket Button – Assigns the role for this button.

Customise Command Dials – Controls the operation of the main and sub command dials.

Release Button To Use Dial – Allows for adjustments that are normally made by holding a button and rotating a command dialto be made by rotating the command dial after the button is released. Setting ends when the button is pressed again.

Slot Empty Release Lock – Shutter can be released when there is no memory card present.

As you can see from the above menu settings there are really a host of different settings to understand all of the functionality options of digital cameras. The above information is of one particular camera but for most professional type cameras, similar options to those illustrated above will be available. Many of the items are self explanatory but then again some are quite complex to understand and may need reference to the camera User Manual.

If you need any camera gear similar to what I use I recommend you try B&H on the link below for your purchases.

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